Edict from The Management™

[Walks with the Snails]

@Dagorkan: None of your business, really. I'm not going to speculate on what I'll do *if* my assessment of the situation changes, but suffice it to say that if I come to the conclusion that this was all a big mistake on my part, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to fix it. I haven't come to that conclusion yet, and do not intent to simply adopt the value calls of others (no matter how well-articulated or reasoned they are - see Astro's posts and also a few of Snails' posts), no matter how little of a right you think I have to do this.

It's cool, I know I was grandstanding more than a little rather than coming up with solutions and never really expected to win you over as much as I apparently did. Really, you're all okay guys in my book, and the invective was directed more at the situation than the people. Not to mention much more fun than smacking around yet more ADD kiddies with inflated senses of self-worth.

Everyone seems to realize that things went south and feel all conciliatory now, though. The big thing is are you guys willing to compromise? The shareholder analogy is bunk and I think you guys know it. You can't say this whole clusterfuck was a huge blunder and then reiterate that the cause of it all should be formally enshrined. If the almighty consensus was really the solution to all woes this never would have happened. Circling the wagons and going into damage control mode is quite understandable given the heat some of us assholes have given you. But retreating back to the Star Chamber isn't going to fix this. It says a lot in your favor that you're trying to take personal responsibility for fixing this by trying to train new writers, etc., but honestly if that burden was something you don't like and never wanted, then why are you taking it? VD actually wanted to do what you're dreading having to do for him, and likely would be doing a great job at it, so why not just give him the incentive to do so? Yes, you're going to have to give him an incentive like anyone who just really wants someone to do their work for them, only nobody's getting paid here so it's going to take something else. If the status quo didn't work for him before, why do you expect it will now?

I wonder if it's actually dawned on any of you that you're doing a bunch of shit for free that most rational people out there demand a hefty salary to put up with. Is it really worth it? If all you really wanted to do is spout off your opinion how the site should be run without all the other bullshit, why not just do it duty-free like the rest of us slackers? We both know I've had a lot more fun than you in the past few days. It seems like you guys just got away for a while with having the influence without the responsibility, and it finally came to head when you tried to forcefully assert your authority and it backfired. You guys show every sign of understanding and admitting this. All retaining the status quo will ensure is that this will all happen again, though. Not to mention dump a big pile of unwanted work in your laps for basically nothing more than servicing your feelings of responsibility and some vague sense that REALLY BAD THINGS will happen if you relax your stance a little. Again, ask yourselves one more time, is this shit really worth it?

 

[Jedi_Learner]

Nope. AoD forum will remain unmoderated for now, as it always was. If a moderator must be assigned, I hope that Jora will accept this position as a favor to me.

You seem to be the moderator now Vault Dweller.

 

[Briosafreak]

On other news Kieron Gillen wrote about the Codex on his column at Portuguese mag Hype.

I'll try to post what he wrote later.

 

[Amasius]

One thing is obvious - neither DU nor VD put much skillpoints into diplomacy. *sigh*

It's probably in vain but I try to outline the conditions for a compromise. To simplify matters I concentrate things on DU and VD. First - a compromise isn't possible if:

1.) VD insists on "purging the forum of infidels" i.e. banning of members without consent of the other admins
2.) DU insists on degrading VD to some kind of "second class" admin

Let's take a look at DU's words:

The terms we were willing to accept for Vault Dweller to come back on staff were (and still are) as follows:

Forum Admin Access:
o DarkUnderlord: Site-wide Forum Administration / Technical Administation where required
o Calis: Technical Administation
o Ausir: Developer Tag Guy (is that all he does?)

Site Admin Access (deciding who gets to post news / content etc... Also includes Calis and DU with site admin access):
o Vault Dweller: Codex Editor-in-Chief
o baby arm: TCancer Editor-in-Chief
o Shagnak: TCancer Guy

For technical reasons, the Editor-in-Chief and probably most newsies would likely need moderator status in the news forums. At least for the Codex as Calis' script doesn't auto-delete the comments thread like the code on TCancer does.

All decisions to ban / tag someone can have the input of the 5 people above (excluding Ausir). All have an equal vote and nobody acts without that vote unless someone's spamming the forums up to buggery and some quick action is needed. I mean, there is the issue of judgement and at the end of the day, you either have good judgement or you don't, so we've got to be able to have people who are able to make a good snap decision on the rare occasion that it's called for.

4. Vault Dweller did not accept those terms. I don't care if it hurts his ego because he can't insta-ban people. Tough. Those are the terms.

So the crux of the matter is that VD got stripped of his Forum Admin Access and he isn't willing to come back without it and DU isn't willing to restore it. It seems that DU wants a hierarchy like this:

This crisis has shown that the Codex has no rules to handle situations like this where the staff disagrees about important matters and the only "solution" was to kick someone out.

Is the Forum Admin Access really that important? Well, if everybody acts on his own it's a question of power (and trust), so under those circumstances definitely yes. But if all important decisions need a collective vote it's just a minor technical matter.

I would recommend a different buildup where every admin has equal rights:

- There are different areas of responsibility but all admins have equal rights and while only the Tech guys have Forum Admin Access they can't act on their own. They use their power only with consent of the whole Administration and they only implement collective decisions. The best would probably be that important decisions need approval from all admins minus one. That would imply that nobody has a veto. So VD (or any other admin) can't ban people at his own discretion, he would need to convince the others. But neither could for example DU enforce things like he did in the indie RPG developer interview-drama. The content of RPG Codex would be part of VDs area of responsibility. (I think it was the best solution but certainly not the best way to do it. In future DU would need the approval of the other admins or he'd have to convince VD of his sight of things.)

- Unimportant decisions would be left to every admins own discretion but the others can outvote him if they all don't agree. Of course - the admins need to decide what is important. Dumbfucking for example. I wouldn't mind that every admin can do it as he likes. If banning is normally no option dumbfucking is a proven alternative. It could be used more often (and the illiterate-tag needs more love to) but it should be revoked after some months if the attitude of the person got better. But that's just an idea, not my decision.

- The Codex could need some good moderators. Pooper was just a joke and KC is not more than a dustman to retardoland spamtopics; he doesn't moderate at all.


So are the some terrible mistakes in my reasoning, did I miss something important or does nobody want some basic rules for the Codex admins at all?

 

[Vault Dweller]

One thing is obvious - neither DU nor VD put much skillpoints into diplomacy.

Incorrect.

1.) VD insists on "purging the forum of infidels" i.e. banning of members without consent of the other admins

Incorrect.

So the crux of the matter is that VD got stripped of his Forum Admin Access and he isn't willing to come back without it and DU isn't willing to restore it.

Incorrect.

Three strikes, buddy.

 

[Amasius]

 

[Otingocni]

I believe what a fair number of us want to see is honest, out-in-the-open negotiation. While it is difficult for us peons to determine if Vault Dweller gave an ultimatum or not, with conflicting reports; it is more evident that DarkUnderlord issued one of his own. The Site Admin/Editor-in-Chief thing, which by all accounts was a take-it-or-walk proposal. All the other administrators who have voiced their opinions, and Vault Dweller, seem to support negotiation; except for DarkUnderlord who may have single-handedly scuttled that possibility.

If Vault Dweller does not insist on this Purging of the Infidels thing or on absolute power, what is the problem with bringing him back as an equal administrator?

Of course, I am merely a babe in the woods with this whole thing, so much hidden information, misinformation, lulz, and other crap floating around.

 

[themadhatter114]

I believe what a fair number of us want to see is honest, out-in-the-open negotiation. While it is difficult for us peons to determine if Vault Dweller gave an ultimatum or not, with conflicting reports; it is more evident that DarkUnderlord issued one of his own. The Site Admin/Editor-in-Chief thing, which by all accounts was a take-it-or-walk proposal. All the other administrators who have voiced their opinions, and Vault Dweller, seem to support negotiation; except for DarkUnderlord who may have single-handedly scuttled that possibility.

If Vault Dweller does not insist on this Purging of the Infidels thing or on absolute power, what is the problem with bringing him back as an equal administrator?

Of course, I am merely a babe in the woods with this whole thing, so much hidden information, misinformation, lulz, and other crap floating around.

No, DU has the moral high ground because VD issued an ultimatum and was unwilling to negotiate. DU has never done any such thing. Plus he has the moral high ground because he's not the one bringing staff discussions into the public forums and quoting things out of context for his own use. DU wins, fair and square.

 

[FrancoTAU]

What? They've both brought staff discussions into the public.

 

[JoKa]

another failed Spot Sarcasm-check...

 

[Serious_Business]

He made diagrams.

Amasius, you are a man that deserves the gentle love of another man. :D

 

[DarkUnderlord]

OHMIGOSH! 2 New rules!

All previously locked threads in this forum are now unlocked. Enjoy!

 

[Nedrah]

And, following up on that, I think everyone should take a step back and stop only taking the last few days into consideration:

DU has usually been a reasonable guy once you actually take the time to try and come up with constructive suggestions or criticizm. I think VD leaving sucks hard, and DUs role in it can be called pretty unfortunate, but let's move on and hope that, given some time, that guy in the blue jumpsuite somehow finds his way back into more officially responsible positions.

 

[Otingocni]

And, following up on that, I think everyone should take a step back and stop only taking the last few days into consideration:

DU has usually been a reasonable guy once you actually take the time to try and come up with constructive suggestions or criticizm. I think VD leaving sucks hard, and DUs role in it can be called pretty unfortunate, but lets move on and hope that, given some time, that guy in the blue jumpsuite somehow finds his way back into more officially responsible positions.

 

[cutterjohn]

Damnit! Stop having all teh drama when I don't visit for a week or so...

 

[Amasius]

He made diagrams.

Amasius, you are a man that deserves the gentle love of another man. :D

Great! To bad you don't fit the criteria...

OHMIGOSH! 2 New rules!

Uh, not enough? Heh, I'm eagerly awaiting the next power struggle within the Codex staff with guaranteed entertainment for weeks.

 

[Nedrah]

And, following up on that, I think everyone should take a step back and stop only taking the last few days into consideration:

DU has usually been a reasonable guy once you actually take the time to try and come up with constructive suggestions or criticizm. I think VD leaving sucks hard, and DUs role in it can be called pretty unfortunate, but lets move on and hope that, given some time, that guy in the blue jumpsuite somehow finds his way back into more officially responsible positions.

This, ladys and gentlemen, is Neville Chamberlain.

Or, at least that's what I am being told.

Chamberlain's legacy is marked by his policy regarding the appeasement of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany with his signing the Munich Agreement in 1938 & conceding Czechoslovakia to Hitler. In the same year he also gave up the Irish Free State Royal Navy ports.

Actually, a pretty funny reference. I still would appreciate more of us to go back to the roots - as in, actually expressing your thoughts through words.

 

[Amasius]

Ladies and Gentlemen, lets welcome El Dee, the new moderator for the RPG section! Applause please!

Edit: Ah, Peace for our time - very fitting that pic.

 

[Zomg]

Nedrah, if you're going to scab for VD, change your fucking avatar to something that doesn't make me want to club you.

 

[El Dee]

Ladies and Gentlemen, lets welcome El Dee, the new moderator for the RPG section! Applause please!

Edit: Ah, Peace for our time - very fitting that pic.

Let's hope I can live up to everyone's high expectations. :D

 

[Nedrah]

-.................

God damn it.

There you go, the most generic picture I could find.

Now, would you PLEASE shut the fuck up about that stupid picture?

 

[AnalogKid]

There you go, the most generic picture I could find.

Sorry, but it's taken (Mr. Murrow, I believe...) And he's generally pretty active.

NEXT!

Edit: damn. Fast change.

 

[Nedrah]

Who?

I'll start listening to you as soon as I don't think of Jasede everytime I see your avatar, anymore.

Edit: Yeah, found something more generic. :D

No offense, none taken, mkay?

 

[Otingocni]

I still would appreciate more of us to go back to the roots - as in, actually expressing your thoughts through words.

We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in <s>France</s> General Discussion, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our <s>Island</s> Forum, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender...

 

[Nedrah]

I thought that message was a lot more witty when I was interpreting my own thoughts into that picture. Must be the reason why people are electing to rather do it via pictures, nowadays - the message is as smart or dumb as the audience.